Well what a start to the decade that was. My God it absolutely flew by! Who said time flies when you're having fun? Oh yeah DJ said it...

DAVID BOWIE will obviously without doubt, look back on the year 2000 with a great deal of immense pride and fondness in both his personal and career life. First and foremost, with the birth of his daughter Alexandria in August. The photographic spread in Hello! magazine of Alex, Iman and David was an absolute treasure to behold. Simply beautiful photographs showing their emotion and joy outright for all to see.

There were lots of db happenings and gatherings during the year 2000, where do I start?... Well right at the beginning of JANUARY David phoned Los Angeles radio station KROQ and gave host Rodney Biggenheimer a lengthy interview, revealing some of his upcoming plans. He received another trophy to add to his mantlepiece - he was named 'Artist of the Millennium' by Radio Tel Aviv in Israel. His then current album '...hours' had also been his most successful ever in the Middle East, firmly entrenched at number one. The second UK single to be released from the album 'Survive' was released as a three part set, CD1, CD2 collectors edition and a limited edition 7" picture disc. It entered the UK charts at number 28 and at number 20 in the independent charts.

FEBRUARY brought the exciting announcement that Iman was expecting their first child. The couple announced that they were "absolutely thrilled" at the news. David said: "It's been a long and patient wait for our baby, but both Iman and I wanted the circumstances to be absolutely right, and didn't want to find ourselves working flat out during the first couple of years of the baby's life. "This is a wonderful time in both our lives."

During MARCH BBC Radio 2 host Mark Goodier presented the excellent 'Golden Years: The David Bowie Story', an original three part radio documentary. David got not only his boat race on the cover of the Sunday New York Times magazine but featured inside was a self penned piece by himself commissioned by The Times.

APRIL saw David donating one of his saxophones to the BBC Music Heritage Music Amnesty Instrument Appeal. The idea was to collect 10,000 unwanted instruments which will then be distributed to children and young people all over the country.
MAY saw BowieNet v2 launched and confirmation of 3 live upcoming gigs in New York City, at the Roseland Ballroom, with one being a BowieNet Members Only show.

There was an unexpected huge mega press frenzy in JUNE after David's triumphant return to England for the Glastonbury 2000 Festival. Never mind just stealing the festival.. he WAS the festival. He totally blew everyone out of the water. How many of you noticed the nice touch of the frock coat worn by David being styled around the same shirt pattern he wore at his first Glastonbury Festival back in 1971? Glastonbury photographs.

The warm up shows for the festival were held in New York City at the Roseland Ballroom on the 16th, 17th and 19th. The first gig he performed an astonishing two and a half hour, 25-song set with lots of surprises. The next day he woke with no voice whatsoever and the second gig had to be cancelled. There were lots of bitten fingernails until the final gig on the 19th got the go-ahead. Roseland photographs and reviews.

The television gig for the BBC at Portland Place for the invited audience was unbelievable. The band was tight and the audience were really up for it. Despite the obvious problems with David's throat, he was able to deliver a moving performance. BBC pictures and reviews.

More new books were published this month: Bowie Style by Mark Paytress and the revised version of Strange Fascination by David Buckley. David made his second appearance on TFI Friday on UK's Channel 4, he opened the show with an excellent rendition of 'Wild Is The Wind' and closed the show with a singalong 'Starman'. He then treated the audience with two more songs... a great version of 'Absolute Beginners' and a wonderful rocking 'Cracked Actor'.

JULY saw the presentation of the Yahoo! Internet Life Online Music Awards, live from Studio 54 in NYC. David was named as the 'Online Pioneer of the Year, and BowieNet deservedly won the award for Best Artist Music website. After being presented with his award by Sandra Bernhard, David went on to sing two songs 'Wild Is The Wind' and 'Life On Mars?' accompanied by Mike Garson on the piano. Photographs and RealAudio.

Q magazine featured David in their 'Cash For Questions' section, which was a great read for the fans. David again contributed artwork towards the 'Take Home A Nude' auction for the New York Academy Of Art. He completed three simple pieces of work based around 'pregnancy'. BowieNet hosted 'The David Bowie FanMix', a one hour event which was streamed live from the studio with David and Mark Plati, where members were given the opportunity of choosing which mixes were to be used for the Beeb album. His third single 'Seven' taken from his 'hours...' album was released as a limited edition 3CD part set and entered the UK charts at number 32. In another unprecedented move in the online world, David made twenty of his classic titles available for commercial download when EMI Recorded Music launched its digital download campaign.

The highlight of the year without any shadow of doubt was the news that Alexandria Zahra Jones was born on 15th AUGUST at precisely 5:06 a.m. in New York. David assisted with the delivery and cut the umbilical cord. She weighed in at 7lbs 4.6oz (3.28 kilogrammes) and her length was 20.5. Her christian names were chosen for their real meanings - Alexandria means "defender of mankind" and Zahra is Arabic for "inner light."

Besides being the most stylish dad, David was voted "The Most Stylish Man Of The Year" at the GQ Awards 2000 in SEPTEMBER at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London by the readership of the magazine. Members of BowieNet started receiving their free copy of 'liveandwell' a 14 track 2CD set. Well worth joining just for the CD alone.

This month also saw the long awaited BBC recordings finally being released. Was it worth the wait? You bet your arse it was. The 2CD album included a limited edition bonus CD of the amazing June 2000 show from BBC Portland Place. The performance was shown the previous night as part of the promotion for the album release, followed by a long awaited repeating showing of the brilliant Alan Yentob documentary 'Cracked Actor'. David also turned up on Radio One's Mark 'n' Lard show for a telephone interview and prize giving competition. After receiving excellent reviews everywhere, the album entered the UK charts at number 7, making it his 25th top ten hit. Unfortunately or not, depending on your outlook, there was a slight 'boob on the beeb' with the initial pressings on one of the Ziggy Stardust tracks. So who cares? I didn't! You got a highly collectible single tracked CD out of EMI for free... now valued already at an incredible £20 by Record Collector magazine. The repeated track was put right incredibly fast and all copies of the album now in stores are as intended. Q magazine placed the album in its 'Five Best Re-Issues Of 2000' list.

Bowieart.com received a new splendid revamp, reframe and relaunch. Besides featuring new unseen pieces of David's artwork, it now also houses a special area for several graduating student artists who attend London's Royal College of Art and Assembly 4 graduates. Each student now has their own individual free web pages where you can view their work along with their contact number.

David made a surprise appearance in OCTOBER at the VH-1 / Vogue Fashion Awards at Madison Square Garden in NYC to announce the winner of the 'Fashion Designer Of The Year' award, which deservedly went to UK designer Stella McCartney for her work with Chloe. Another surprise in store was her father Paul sneaking up behind her at the ceremony. GQ fashion director Jo Levin's published GQ Cool which featured a foreword written by our David, he also adorned the front cover along with a "cool" portrait inside. Another Bowie bible reference book released was The Complete David Bowie written by Nicholas Pegg and published by Reynolds and Hearn. Once again, David generously contributed towards the ArtAid 2000 art exhibition in support of Crusaid, Britain's national fundraiser for HIV and AIDS with one of his series of Dheads. The 'Rock Style' exhibition hit London... music and fashion and attitude at the Barbican Gallery which featured seven of David's costumes. Two wonderful limited edition prints of Iman were donated by David to the Berklee College of Music for auction towards the benefit of the outreach programme for urban teens.

NOVEMBER saw Bowieart.com take over the official sponsorship the Secret 2000 Royal College of Art exhibition. The RCA Secret postcard annual event gives the public the possibility of owning the work of an internationally renowned artist for just £35, as well as contributing to the cost of the students. David has contributed artwork pieces for the last several years. David contributed a rather excellent photograph entitled 'East Side Other' towards a charity photographic book entitled 'Life's Ups And Downs'. The 5,000 limited edition book is published by Big Issue In The North Trust. A host of celebrity entertainers, writers and artists were asked to take photographs with the theme 'looking up and looking down', what would they see, and how would they see it? And might it change our own perspective of the world we live in? The proceeds from this book go to help place homeless people into good homes, good jobs, good health and good life.

In DECEMBER the results of a year long survey conducted by the New Musical Express of contemporary musicians found that David Bowie is 'The Most Influential Artist Of All Time'. To compliment the findings, the December issue of the paper went on sale in a lovely shiny silver foil bag, featuring a wonderful black and white Ziggy Stardust front cover, a free CD with an amazing track listing, chosen by the artists that chose their most influential bands, and last but not least there was a colour three page exclusive interview with David, along with twenty pages of the main feature... 'bout time NME.

David's response to receiving this accolade?... "It means more to me than any number of hit albums, this. Thanks very much."

(Ed. David, from myself and on behalf of visitors to Wonderworld thank you for a truly wonderful past year).MTV2: DAVID BOWIE DIRECTORS CUT30th December 2000

On Sky Digital tonight on MTV2 Channel 446 at midnight DAVID BOWIE: DIRECTORS CUT talks about his work with some of the most out there directors of recent work, and what inspires his relentless creativity.

Thanks to Nick for the pointer.DR. BOWIE AND MR. JONES30th December 2000

Don't forget tonight is the DAVID BOWIE documentary on Music Planet at 23:45pm ARTE TV entitled 'Dr. Bowie and Mr. Jones', made by Gilles Nadeau.

On their website there is a review, obviously in French, along with a piece of video footage. The English version of this review is below courtesy of the Alta Vista Bable Fish translator, which makes slightly weird reading to say the least...

Who is David Bowie? Since the end of the Sixties, the musician always knew to anticipate, renew himself and assert himself. A discussion with the inrockuptible Christian Fevret enamelled of rare files, the new portrait of a single artist.

David Bowie does not die, does not age, does not weaken. The mystery surrounds this man-chameleon who seems to change personality like look. This documentary recalls the extravagant career of the British singer, between images of files and recent maintenance. At the end of the Sixties, David Jones/Bowie puts the topics of Velvet Underground at the range of all, which is worth to him a great success near general public like avant-garde.

During all his career, David Bowie absorbs the most daring currents: glam, soul, punk post or breakbeat, but maintain starting from so various influences an always personal style. By incarnant at the beginning of the Seventies the character of Ziggy Stardust, new Ulysses of ambitious Space Oddity, David Bowie puts in scene his originality. He becomes a monster in all the directions of the term: a creature dubious, androgyne, pretentious, superhuman, splendid...

An alligator insolate Not without reason, the documentary one is delayed on the round Ziggy Stardust. In these concerts with the setting in futuristic scene, David Bowie integrates into the universe of the rock 'n' roll of the obsessions then new, drawn from the Japanese culture as in the German expressionnism. Eclectic, David Bowie will be always rocker, choreographer, painter, mime and actor (in October 1980, superb file, it interprets without make-up Elephant Man in Broadway). This burning energy been useful by a rare gift for anticipation - and the business - fact of him the first artist has to have been with dimensions out of Stock Exchange, and at the same time the British rock 'n' roll-star most fortunate, in front of Elton John and Paul McCartney. In spite of the periods of less success or depression (a short plan is enough to underline the cocaine paranoia of the Fame years), it is always come out of there by its perspicacity. In 1977, whereas the rock 'n' roll-stars seem condemned by the hard sincerity of the punk one, it is exiled in Berlin and designs a trilogy (Low, Heroes, Lodger) which anticipates the new-wave. If its Eighties, in spite of commercial success, seem today as embarrassing as the clip of "Let's Dance", it still recently rebounded with brilliance on the syncopated rates/rhythms of the techno (Outside) and of the breakbeat (Earthling). Opportunism? Not. The melodies remain shingling, the elegant rhymes, the insolente production. "The passion of work never decreased", underlines the man with the sea-green eyes, arrogant. Before being a star, David Bowie is an artist. A timid young man, a fan in anger, an untiring worker. Only "Rock 'n' roll to have succeeded" suicide.

Thanks to SteK who can't speak French either.101 REASONS WHY NOT30th December 2000

MARTIN NEWELL writes those brilliantly funny and topical poems in THE INDEPENDENT newspaper. He has also published several volumes of poetry, including the epic poems Wildman Of Wivenhoe and Black Shuck.

He is also a musician of renown and has several well received albums under his bed. Including a wonderful album produced by Andy Partridge of XTC, 'The Greatest Living Englishman'.

As well as writing all those poems for The Independent he also regularly performs live at poetry gigs around the UK, teaches about music and poetry in schools, colleges and prisons and appears occasionally on TV and radio.

101 Reasons Why You're Not David Bowie and He Is

David uses his spare timeFor dreaming up new stylesHe never spends Whit MondayIn the bathroom, grouting tiles

David's early effortsOften dwelt on alienationHe never noted DieselsOr hung out on Reading station

David shaved both eyebrowsAnd the net effect was artyHe never had just one doneWhile unconscious at a party

David in his sixth decadeStill has a head of hair onAnd not some strands resemblingA barcode printed thereon

David orders goodiesFrom an oriental teashopHe doesn't trawl for bargainsIn the pound and 50p shop

Update: More news, it looks like his autobiography, published next Autumn will be entitled 'This Little Ziggy'.

Go take a look at Martin's official website. You won't regret it.A YEAR IN THE LIFE BOOK29th December 2000

Available now to purchase is DAVID BOWIE: A Year In The Life a new book by Alex Alexander. Sixty eight glorious pages in excellent quality, crammed with all the information you needed to know about David during the year 2000.

Contained are over 100 photographs (mostly unpublished), tickets, backstage passes, reviews and much more. Each book also contains a free official RockStyle postcard and a five page Bowie Doll supplement.

Total prices: In the UK £15, Europe £15 or $20, Outside Europe £20 or $30.

I can accept cash in most currencies but cheques and postal orders in UK pounds only. Please email me if you have any questions.

From Alex Alexander.DAMIEN HIRST TV DOCUMENTARY28th December 2000

Tonight (28th Dec) on CHANNEL FOUR television at 11:05 pm in the UK make sure you catch LIFE, DEATH AND DAMIEN HIRST, a documentary on the life and work of controversial British artist Damien Hirst. Filmed over a period of ten months, it shows Hirst at work in his studio, at his home in Devon and socialising with friends, and culminates in the opening of his first major exhibition in four years in New York.

Even if DAVID BOWIE doesn't make an appearance in this documentary, tape it or watch it, I'm sure you'll get an incite into why Damien is so admired by db.KIT KAT KLUB RADIO FRANCE28th December 2000

RADIO FRANCE are to broadcast the complete show of DAVID BOWIE live at the Kit Kat Klub from New York in 1999. Tune into the station of 87.9 FM on Sunday 31st December 2000 at 8:15 pm.

Thanks to Phillippe.BEEB 2 GLASTONBURY HIGHLIGHTS28th December 2000

Tonight's Glastonbury 2000 Festival highlights showing on BBC2 television broadcast DAVID BOWIE at the start of programme performing' Changes', and then ended with two further songs 'Ziggy Stardust' and "Heroes".

(Big sigh)... Alas no 'Let's Dance' showing as the BBC Choice broadcast, but I know a guy who taped that on Christmas Day - and I'm sure he'll do copies for people who require them. I'll ask him really, really politely.UNSEEN LET'S DANCE TONIGHT?27th December 2000

Reminder: After midnight tonight (Wednesday) on UK BBC2 at 12:55 until 2:55 GLASTONBURY 2000. A selection of the best performances from Glastonbury 2000 Festival.

(Ed. I've been informed that this is the same programme that appeared on BBC Choice on Christmas Day which broadcast the previously unseen 'Let's Dance' from David's set list).ALL 3 HUNGERS NOW IN STOCK27th December 2000

The latest DB DVD releases and now in stock are the three programmes of the TV series of THE HUNGER that feature DAVID BOWIE.

Brand new and now available to purchase on DVD and VHS from York Entertainment on York Home Video.

Admission is a mere $8.50 or $6.00 for students.UNSEEN DB AT GLASTO BROADCAST26th December 2000

Those of you in the UK who can tune into BBC Choice could of... would of... or should of... been able to witness the premier showing of 'Let's Dance' from DAVID BOWIE'S Glastonbury 2000 Festival set.

Therefore make sure you catch the Glastonbury Highlights 2000 to be shown tomorrow (27th Dec) on BBC2, hopefully they may show a track or two not broadcast the first time around. Fingers crossed.

Some other db tv appearances in the next week or so include: On French TV, ARTE, 11:50 pm, a one hour documentary entitled 'Dr. Bowie And Mr. Jones', which includes interviews with the man himself, people he has worked with and a closer view to his art. On UK TV 3rd January Top Of The Pops BBC2 6:00pm features space-related songs and obviously David is included in the programme. Also later on the same channel at 11:20 there's a massive 40 minute episode of Stella Street.BOWIE BEEB MAKES Q TOP FIVE!26th December 2000

Featured in the January 2001 issue of Q magazine, DAVID BOWIE'S recent album release 'Bowie At The Beeb' is placed in Q's 'Five Best Re-Issues Of 2000'. The top five albums were:

Blur: Greatest Hits.David Bowie: Bowie At The Beeb.Dexy's Midnight Runners: Searching For The Young Soul Rebels.Nick Drake: Bryter Later.Stevie Wonder: At The Close Of A Century.

Q Review: Between The Laughing Gnome and Diamond Dogs, a brilliant slice of a brilliant career. These days, as David Bowie is as much a bank and web channel as he is a pop star, his archive material becomes a valuable commodity. Fortunately, listening to this collection of BBC sessions is a lot more fun that reading your e-mail. Dating from the end of the twee years and taking in all of Ziggy plus choice rockers from Hunky Dory, which sound gloriously raw here, this compilation also features Velvet Underground covers, a joke about Elton John, a funny interview and a very plummy John Peel. The best Bowie compilation of all time. Best Bit: 0.07 into Ziggy Stardust, when the drums go crunchy.

Also in this issue, a three album review of the re-released mid-priced range of 'Low', 'Lodger' and 'Tin Machine', along with a great photo of a grinning David with Tin Machine in rehearsal. Low and Lodger are both given a 4 star rating, with TM receiving 2 stars.

Find out where Low, Lodger and Tin Machine figure in a comprehensive overview of David Bowie's career subject of one of Q4Music.com artist buyer's guide @ Q4Music.com.

(Ed. For the many who have asked recently, the duplicated Ziggy Stardust track mix up is now fixed on the normal release on Bowie At The Beeb).HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS 2000!!!25th December 1999

WISHING EVERYONE EVERYWHERE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

I hope you all receive everything you ever wish for

Very Best Wishes from Paul aka Rednik

HOLLY PALMER GIG TONIGHT IN LA22nd December 2000

TONIGHT! HOLLY PALMER and band will be continuing their spiritual development at Genghis Cohen on Friday, December 22nd. It's a Jewish Buddist Pentacostal thing. They're starting at 8:30.

Genghis Cohen is at 740 N. Fairfax, just north of Melrose, in Los Angeles.

Come and see happens, why don't cha...

From HP Newsletter.VH-1/VOGUE FASHION AWARDS ON UK TV22nd December 2000

If you didn't catch DAVID BOWIE'S surprise guest appearance at this year's VH-1 / VOGUE FASHION AWARDS 2000 at Madison Square Garden in NYC, announcing the winner of the 'Fashion Designer of the Year', you can catch repeat showings over the Christmas period on VH-1 in the UK.

David announced the winner Stella McCartney, for her work with Chloe, and then another surprise in store for her was the presentation by her father Paul.

You can read the original news reports back in October here.
To view all the listings of David Bowie related TV programming over the festive period check out the Monthly Planner for December.

(Ed. David, Stella and Paul McCartney appear right towards the end of the show).STARDUST TRIBUTE GIG21st December 2000

STARDUST - The David Bowie Tribute Band will perform a rare, all ages, three act acoustic Holiday show at the following venue:

Thursday, 8:00 pm, December 21st at The Local Grind 1585, N. Milwaukee in Chicago (Wicker Park) 773.489.3490
ADMISSION IS FREE!

This performance is lead by no other than Ziggy 2000, a lavish, androgynous character created and played by Lair Scott. The "coffee cabaret show" will feature spoken word and a few tunes rarely ever performed live by Bowie himself, along with chosen hits that have been rearranged exclusively for this production.

Want to audition as a STARDUST guest musician or band member? Let us know! STARDUST will be setting up another homebase in New York City after Christmas as well as keeping the home firez burning in Chicago.

From Stardust.FILM THREAT BOWIE INTERVIEW19th December 2000

DAVID BOWIE'S BIG SECRET (12/18/2000)

by Phil Hall.

For the past quarter-century, David Bowie has been one of the cinema's most intriguing yet elusive performers. Beginning with his star turn as the alien who becomes imprisoned in alcoholism as his planet dies of thirst in Nicholas Roeg's "The Man Who Fell to Earth," the film roles of David Bowie reflect the eclecticism and eccentricity of his musical orbit. On screen, he played a male prostitute in a Berlin brothel in "Just a Gigolo," a glamourous vampire in "The Hunger," a British soldier in a Japanese POW camp in "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," Pontius Pilate in the controversial adaptation of "The Last Temptation of Christ," and appearances in films that only the most die-hard cinephile or Bowiephile could ever dream of recalling: "Christiane F.," "Into The Night," "Labyrinth," "Absolute Beginners," "The Linguini Incident."

Currently, Bowie can be seen in the title role as a mysterious 400 year-old man who helps a terminally ill teenager discover a new meaning to life in "Mr. Rice's Secret." This award-winning Canadian film, directed by Nicholas Kendall, offers a mature and uplifting story focusing on the spirit of life and well-being, and it is among the very rare contemporary films where teenagers are portrayed with a high level of intelligence and sincerity.

"Mr. Rice's Secret" will have its US theatrical premiere on December 22nd at the Two Boots Pioneer Theater in New York. "Mr. Rice's Secret" will also be the lead in the Two Boots Pioneer's Theater's mini-retrospective of Bowie's films. Entitled "A Very Bowie Christmas," the series will include rare screenings of "The Man Who Fell to Earth," "The Hunger," "Basquiat" (with Bowie in a flawless supporting role as Andy Warhol) and the concert film "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars."

In an interview with Film Threat, David Bowie discussed "Mr. Rice's Secret" and his unique relationship with films.

What was it about "Mr. Rice's Secret" that first attracted you to consider starring in the film?

From the script, it was so thoughtfully and considerately conceived. Nothing smacked of the sensational. It could have so easily have slipped into that hole given the subject matter. There was an active intelligence behind it all.

How did you prepare for your role as a 400 year-old man in that film?

I have quite a few years of my own to draw upon, though a year in Manhattan is good for fatigue resource. I don't think you can 'play' 400. There are no precedents. A 400 year-old may well have the ability to project the characteristics of a 19 year-old. Who knows? I just settled for him to be relatively low-key.

"Mr. Rice's Secret" touches on several subjects that rarely get addressed in mainstream films. How do you feel audiences will respond to this film and its message?

I think the intention of the writer and director is firm, focused and quite clear. There is no ambiguity to the situation. Audiences will respond to the honesty and clear insight of what they are watching in a positive way.

"Mr. Rice's Secret" is opening in New York as part of a retrospective of your film career. Where do you see this film in the context of your work in films to date?

I don't really think in those terms. It was nice to play a father/confidant figure because of my own family ties. These days, having three children, two grown of course, draws me toward material that projects certain truths for the younger, I guess.

"Mr. Rice's Secret" is a Canadian production in which teenagers intelligently face questions of mortality and faith in each other. In many recent American productions, however, teenagers are portrayed as sex-obsessed and shallow and rarely face the challenges that the young people meet in "Mr. Rice's Secret." Do you think American filmmakers have the proper image of today's young people?

A majority of producers and directors have no wish or desire to see past the buck or vain glory. The banana skin rules. I find many European releases are far more considered vehicles for timely and important questions.

You've appeared in relatively few Hollywood productions, with most of your film work concentrated in independent films like "Mr. Rice's Secret" and in productions based outside of the U.S. Have you specifically avoided working in Hollywood films or you find the opportunities in non-Hollywood productions to be more stimulating?

I have, on the whole, avoided Hollywood like the plague. One cameo for Scorsese (Pontius Pilate in "The Last Temptation of Christ") to me brings so much more satisfaction than, say, a James Bond. For instance, I turned down the part of the villain 'Zorin' in "A View To Kill" as it simply was a terrible script and I saw little reason for spending so long on something that bad, that workmanlike. And I told them so. I don't think anyone had turned down a 'major' role in a Bond before. It really didn't go down too well at all. They were very tetchy about it. The only Hollywood movie I regret having passed on was a piece that Ridley Scott wanted me very much to do. He even determined that if I didn't do it he wouldn't make it. Unfortunately I was touring at that time so it became an impossibility. He never did make it, so at least I know that I don't have to kick myself too hard.

The only role that one could define as 'Hollywood' that I have accepted recently was for Ben Stiller with his 'Zoolander' fashion epic. It was just too funny a script to walk past. An absolute hoot!!

Which current films and filmmakers excite you? And what trends in contemporary films leave you disappointed or worse?

Ang Lee, Tom Tykwer, Darren Aronofsky are among my favorites. But there again, there really are a lot of tremendous films being made. You just have to search for them. It's always subject matter over content that leaves me cold. The subject is so often a potpourri of effect and bad visual punning against tissue thin content. No writing, no thoughtful direction.

Unbelievably, it was 29 years ago today that DAVID BOWIE'S classic 'Hunky Dory' album was first released.

Recently Hunky Dory was ranked at number 38 in the New Musical Express 'Greatest Albums Of All Time'.... number 16 in Q magazine's '100 Greatest British Albums'... and at number 12 in the New Musical Express list of 'The Greatest Albums of The 70s'.

Back in 1971, Hunky Dory received some good reviews at the time of release, notably in the NME, Melody Maker, Billboard and Rolling Stone magazines but initial sales figures were disappointing up until the Ziggy Stardust album, then it took off:

BillboardReview: 28th November 1971.The British composer-performer comes up with a heavy debut for RCA, loaded with the kind of Top 40 and FM appeal that should break him through big on the charts. Along with vocals, Bowie plays piano, sax and guitar. Strong material, his own, for programming include "Changes," "Oh You Pretty Things," and "Life On Mars." His "Andy Warhol" material is also a standout.

Rolling StoneReview: 6th January 1972."...Hunky Dory not only represents Bowie's most engaging album musically, but also finds him once more writing literally enough to let the listener examine his ideas comfortably..."

It's interesting to read David's own notes on each of the songs contained on the album that appeared on a promotional sheet at the time:

Changes - This album is full of my changes and those of some of my friends.

Pretty - The reaction of me to my wife being pregnant was archetypal daddy - Oh he's gonna be another Elvis. This song is all that plus a dash of sci-fi.

Eight - The city is a kind of high-life wart on the backside of the prairie.

Life On Mars - This is a sensitive young girls reaction to the media.

Kooks - The baby was born and it looked like me and it looked like Angie and the song came out like - if you're gonna stay with us you're gonna grow up Bananas.

Quicksand - The chain reaction of moving around through out the bliss and then the calamity of America produced this epic of confusion - Anyway, with my esoteric problems I could have written it in Plainview - or Dulwich.

There is a time and space level just before you go to sleep when all about you are losing theirs and whoosh void gets you with its cacopfony of thought - that's when I like to write my songs.

Fill - Biff Rose song.

Andy - A man of media and anti-message, with a kind of cute style.

Bob - This is how some see B.D.

Queen - A song on a Velvet Underground-Lou Reed framework s'about London sometimes.

Bewlay - Another in the series of David Bowie confessions - Star-Trek in a leather jacket.

Personally, I play this album at least once a week. Always have done, always will do. I'm still hooked. I've lived it 1,000 times or more... it still hasn't outgrown its use and it still makes me question things.

So what the hell is a 'hunky dory' anyway?... We all take it for granted now that it now translates as 'everything is fine' or 'everything is ok'... but if you take a peek into The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang it suggests that the term may have been introduced in America about 1865 by a popular variety performer named Japanese Tommy.

It is said to have been sailors' slang for a street in Yokohama named Honki-Dori, whose inhabitants "catered for the pleasures of sailors".

The trouble with this story is that nobody has ever found a street of that name in Yokohama, then or at any other time, and it seems it may be another example of people trying too hard to explain a puzzling phrase. However, there is more than a germ of plausibility in the theory, as one Japanese word for a street is indeed dori, though it refers to a broad or important one, perhaps like our avenue, rather than any old road.

In fact, there was a street in existence in Yokohama about 1884 with the name Honchou-doori that was set aside for foreign residents, and which conceivably could have something to do with the phrase. It may be that hunky-dory was the result of a bilingual pun, perhaps invented because American sailors knew the word doori and prefixed it with hunky as an imagined Japanese street of earthly delights.

Sailors fighting in the dance halls? Hmm I wonder?BOWIE AT THE BEEB POSTERS16th December 2000

Lots of new advertisements and special offers on currently at the BowieWonderworld Trading Post. Be quick to catch these!... Limited original DAVID BOWIE colour posters of 'Bowie At The Beeb' 20" x 30" at £2.50 each!

Check out the Trading Post for details.MORE EXCLUSIVE BOWIE PHOTOS!15th December 2000

View the latest DAVID BOWIE exclusive photographs from MUSICFOTO.COM. Several more wonderful photographs from the Low/Heroes 1978 and the 1983 Serious Moonlight world tours have been added to the exclusive limited edition portfolio. Don't forget... the special exclusive 25% OFF December Discount Offer available by simply mentioning BowieWonderworld on the order form at Musicfoto.com

These signed, original Lawrence Kirsch photographs should not be confused with machine or production-grade press prints. Each Lawrence Kirsch photograph offered here is one of a limited edition series and each is individually custom printed according to your order from the original negative, under Kirsch's direct supervision. All materials and processes employed are state-of-the-art. Each photograph is signed in ink by Lawrence Kirsch, just below the image.

Click on the banner below or visit www.musicfoto.com to view a whole range of different artists all with a special 25% DISCOUNT if this website is quoted.

New fan contributions to THE ARTS LAB section include some great DAVID BOWIE artwork from Daniel 'Boy' Denk and Daniel Meeks, an inspiring essay 'I Asked For An Autograph' written by Mark 'Spud' Elliott and a wonderful poem by Russell Phillips entitled 'Influence and Anger'.

Take a tour around The Arts Lab for a feast of sound and vision and please feel free to contribute something yourself.

Check out The Arts Lab section.THE TELEVISION MAN IS CRAZY13th December 2000

December sees a whole host of DAVID BOWIE movies and various television appearances from around the world. See listings below.

Best known for his work with DAVID BOWIE, guitar virtuoso and Grammy Award winner REEVES GABRELS had just released his first album in more than five years! Previously available only via digital download, Ulysses (della notte) is finally available on CD (for the first time ever!) and features vocal cameos by Dave Grohl, Frank Black, David Bowie, and The Cure's Robert Smith. This album is a must for all guitar aficionados and David Bowie collectors!

Special For The Holidays... BUY Ulysses (della notte) NOW and get an AUTOGRAPHED PHOTO of Reeves for FREE! Visit www.emaginemusic.com and check out the deal.

The track that David appears on is entitled 'Jewel'. The first verse is sung by Frank Black and Dave Grohl, the second verse is David Bowie and Reeves, and the choruses are Reeves and Frank Black.

(Bowie):I believe my face, a girl's faceI believe my face is one of a kindI point the stars and roll my eyesThey poison my young mindBelieve my face, the charming faceMy poison eyes, believe my eyesI roll up my sleeves, I rock on my heelsBut I'm nothing without my face(Gabrels) And now I'm screaming "Oh my jewel" so happilyI'm lonely without my face(Gabrels) I am a man and I am cruel, I'm the king of crueltyI'm nothing without my face(Gabrels) But now I'm screaming "Oh my jewel" so happily(Gabrels) I am a man and I am cruel, I'm the king of cruelty(Gabrels) I'm the king of cruelty(Gabrels) I'm the king of cruelty

(Black):And now I'm screaming "Oh my jewel" so happilyI am a man and I am cruel, I'm the king of crueltyAnd now I'm screaming "Oh my jewel" so happilyI am a man and I am cruel, I'm the king of crueltyAnd now I'm screaming "Oh my jewel" so happily

(Black, down an octave):I am a man and I am cruel, I'm the king of crueltyAnd now I'm screaming "Oh my jewel" so happilyI am a man and I am cruel, I'm the king of crueltyAnd now I'm screaming "Oh my jewel" so happilyI am a man and I am cruel, I'm the king of crueltyNow I'm screamingI am a man, I amNow I'm screaming -- LA! LA!Now I'm screaming

Considering we are in the season of goodwill there's an extra bonus been added to the offer below... anyone buying a photograph of DAVID BOWIE from the Christmas Special below will receive a FREE collectors rock star calendar from 1985 with Bowie on the cover. This offer only good while supplies last.

From Lawrence Kirsch.EXCLUSIVE CHRISTMAS OFFER!!!8th December 2000

BOWIEWONDERWORLD.COM in conjunction with MUSICFOTO.COM is pleased to be able to bring you this special exclusive Christmas Discount on any orders placed during the whole month of December.

Musicfoto.com, a gallery of concert photographs is offering a special whooping 25% DISCOUNT! on ALL photographs to anyone who mentions BowieWonderworld on the Order Form at Musicfoto.com. The special discount is a full 25% of the total order, not including postage and handling. This discount can be applied to any quantity of photographs ordered.

Click on the banner to view these amazing DAVID BOWIE photographs from the 1974 Diamond Dogs tour, 1976 Station To Station tour, 1978 Low/Heroes tour, 1983 Serious Moonlight tour and the 1987 Glass Spider tour.

Lawrence Kirsch photographs have appeared in more than 75 magazines, as well as books, posters, concert programmes, gallery showings, and on record sleeves in London, Berlin, Rotterdam, Los Angeles, New York, Montreal and Toronto. The native Montrealer has worked with David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Genesis, Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen and many other artists.

These signed, original Lawrence Kirsch photographs should not be confused with machine or production-grade press prints. Each Lawrence Kirsch photograph offered here is one of a limited edition series and each is individually custom printed according to your order from the original negative, under Kirsch's direct supervision. All materials and processes employed are state-of-the-art. Each photograph is signed in ink by Lawrence Kirsch, just below the image.

Click on the banner above or visit www.musicfoto.com to view a whole range of different artists all with a special 25% DISCOUNT if this website is quoted.

At the Classicrock.about.com website - their last week's poll was in response to an article in New Music Express that named DAVID BOWIE the most influential artist to those interviewed by the magazine. Bowie beat out a long list of other, more obvious choices such as the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground and others.

So they asked: Do you consider David Bowie one of the "most influential" artists?

The results were:

47% - Absolutely!37% - He's no more influential than anyone else.16% - No, I don't see how anyone can consider him influential.0% - I have no opinion on this.

These performances are lead by no other than Ziggy 2000, a lavish, androgynous character created and played by Lair Scott. The 'coffee cabaret shows' will feature spoken word and a few tunes rarely ever performed live by Bowie himself, along with chosen hits that have been rearranged exclusively for these productions.

Their web site was constructed on January 30th 2000, and has had over 16,000 visitors since. Want to audition as a STARDUST guest musician? Let us know!
From Ziggy 2000.BOWIE TV ROUND-UP6th December 2000

Be on the lookout for an upcoming online competition early in the New Year with a DAVID BOWIE print as the prize.

The original artwork produced by artist TONY GLENWRIGHT is entitled GENUS 1, a 700 x 440mm pencil and ink drawing and is part of a private collection.

The piece has a connection to David Bowie and the question will relate to this! Competition entries are restricted to one go per e-mail address. If there is a mega response, the number of prints will be increased. There are no catches to this competition and no costs to any entry.

About the print: Signed and dated by the artist. Size 500 x 315mm (slightly smaller than the original) and printed from a scan onto quality paper. An explanation and description of the picture's composition and contents and the Bowie connection will be given after the competition.

Congratulations to Grand Prize Winner DARREN JAMES who gets to chose THREE items from the BowieWonderworld Vault and also receives a copy of the excellent book The Complete David Bowie by Nicholas Pegg.

The two runner-up prize winners, who also both receive a copy of the book are PAULA CURTIS and AMY PINTO. Well done to all three.

A huge thank you to everyone who sent in their entries, from over a thousand entries, 538 were correct. Also special thanks to the publishers of The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds and Hearn who supplied the prizes.

The competition answers were:

Q1: "How many pages are there in The Complete David Bowie book?" [446]

Q2: "Who are the publishers of The Complete David Bowie book?" [Reynolds & Hearn]

(Ed. Thanks to Nick on the message board who chose the 3 random numbers (7, 43 and 238) and as a thank you gets to choose an item from the BowieWonderworld Vault).HE'S IN THE BEST SELLING SHOW3rd December 2000

'LIFE ON MARS' is a new work conceived by David Hollywood, Liam Judson and Aidan Roberts. Featuring the early music of DAVID BOWIE, Life on Mars will premier at Wentworth Falls School of Arts in March 2001 in Australia.

Life of Mars is an urban conceptual theatre piece based on the music and lyrics of, undoubtedly, the most important and influential popular music artist of our time, David Bowie. Tackling themes of suburban life,alien-ation, fame and self-destruction, the show presents the story of two brothers (aka Bewlay), born to Kooks who live in apparent suburban bliss. We follow their lives from childhood through a rocky adolescence to young adulthood in a Warholian city wreaking with the stench of fame and self abuse.

Inspired by the theatrical potential of the music, the creative team is working on a common thread to link songs from Hunky Dory, Space Oddity, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and Diamond Dogs.

Directed by David Hollywood, Music Direction by Aidan Roberts, Choreography by Shari Veitch, with Damien Schmitt, Kelly Outzen, Tim Crew, Helen Watkins, Joanna Powell, Robert Hall, Abby Veitch, Milton and others as they come on board.

Performance Details: The first draft premiers March 2001 at Wentworth Falls School of Arts. Details will be posted soon.

Visit their website @ Out Of The Blue for more details.BOWIE EMI PROMO ITEMS VALUED2nd December 2000

This month's issue of RECORD COLLECTOR (December 2000) lists in its 'Information Station' section, three DAVID BOWIE items from the recent EMI 'Bowie At The Beeb' campaign.

From their top twenty items listed, in at #1 with a price tag of £200 is the promotional radio microphone in a box, #7 is the reel-to-reel type promo CD in a box is valued at £50 and at but not least #16 is the white labelled single-track Ziggy Stardust replacement CD worth already £20.

The rather nifty promo radio is crafted in the form of an old style microphone. The 10 inch high radio is packaged in its own picture box and even has a custom 'Bowie At The Beeb' logo which lights up when the radio is switched on.

The rare eight tracked promo CD 'Bowie At The Beeb/Sampler' (Catalogue number: BEEBPRO 6872) is designed as an old fashioned reel-to-reel tape in a box.

The free one tracked EMI/BBC replacement CD 'Ziggy Stardust' is on a white label with "Not for sale", the catalogue number is BEEBREP 2 and was pressed by EMI UK.

The other EMI Bowie At The Beeb promotional items included a Bowie print, a Zippo lighter and t-shirt.

(Ed. No mention has been made of the rarer promo Zippo lighter anywhere in the list).

As mentioned last week... The New Musical Express this week (out now) in a lovely shiny silver foil bag, features a wonderful black and white Ziggy Stardust front cover, a free CD with an amazing track listing, chosen by the artists that chose their most influential bands, and also there's a colour three page exclusive interview with David, along with twenty pages of the main feature.

(Ed. Well done David... you thoroughly deserve it).RCA POSTCARDS ON SALE1st December 2000

There are still two days left if you wish to view or purchase the contributed pieces of artwork at this year's Secret Postcard Exhibition.

The Royal College of Art is giving members of the public the chance to own a valuable original work by the likes of Damien Hirst and David Bowie for £35.
The opportunity comes as part of the RCA's annual Secret postcard exhibition which has opened prior to the picture sale on 30 November. The show features more than 1,500 postcards by 750 anonymous artists - many of them famous names.

Among the other celebrities included in the show are Chicken Run animator Nick Park and eccentric fashion designer Zandra Rhodes. The other postcards are by up-and-coming artists, many of whom may well go on to be famous in their own right. The sale regularly attracts huge crowds with people queuing all night, and around the block, to be first in for the 0800 start. All the postcards cost just £35, with the money raised going to help students of fine art. Buyers do not find out who has created their choice of postcard until they have bought it. Then they can turn the card over to read the signature on the back.

This year, Bowie - who is also sponsoring the event through his BowieArt.com website - has contributed two pictures. Turner prize-winner Hirst - best known for making art from dead animals suspended in formaldehyde - has designed just the one. Exhibition curator Emily Sargeant said: "His signed cigarette butts went for thousands, so his postcard could quite easily go for £5,000."

Elsewhere, works by film-maker Terry Gilliam and musician Brian Eno and shoe-maker Manolo Blahnik could also be worth a small fortune. Trying to guess which postcard has been designed by whom will prove something of a conundrum. They range from cartoons to abstracts, minimalist designs to graphic sexual poses. There are even portraits of Prime Minister Tony Blair, his wife Cherie and former Chinese leader Mao Tse Tung. British artist Billy Childish welcomed the anonymous format, saying it had banished the artistic ego. "This brings out the best in art - it's very levelling. "It's the anonymity - the egos get out of the way."

Experts advise buyers not to buy a picture because they think it looks like a particular person's style. They say many contributors to the show are beginning to imitate each other. Buyers are therefore better off just following their natural tastes and instincts.

DAVID BOWIE has given the OK for his music to be uploaded onto MP3.com's service My.MP3.com, the music website which allows surfers to 'rip' CD's, thereby allowing them to access their record collections from any internet connection. "It's an amazing testament to the net that MP3.com technology allows someone to have their record collection at their fingertips wherever they are in the world," Bowie said. "The days of travelling with CDs in hand are beginning to grow short."

The artist has also given the site an alternative live version of Ziggy Stardust and two new live recordings including a version of Let's Dance. In exchange MP3.com will post a special offer for users wishing to join Bowie's online community, www.davidbowie.com.

The news comes weeks after MP3.com bosses found themselves up against Universal records in a fierce copyright infringement battle. The other four major record labels may still push the web site back into the courts, reportedly not happy with Universal's mid-November $53 million settlement from the company.